The third act: 'Dead' rubbers very much alive and kicking

Whether you’re trying to round out a rare clean sweep or save face after losing the first two matches, motivation is never an issue in the final match of a supposedly 'dead' Origin series.

The fact only seven sweeps have been achieved since the three-game series came into vogue in 1982 shows what it means to the beaten state to restore pride and take momentum into the following season.

The Maroons go in search of the first clean sweep since 2010 at Accor Stadium on Wednesday, while the Blues will look to repeat what they did in 1984, 2007, 2009 and 2016 by winning Game Three to avoid the embarrassment of a 3-0 whitewash.

With Origin III looming large, NRL.com looks back at five memorable nights when the so-called dead rubber was very much alive.

So much still to play for

Game 3, 1984…. NSW 22, QLD 12 at Lang Park

Any side boasting Wally Lewis, Mal Meninga, Gene Miles, Chris Close, Paul Vautin and Greg Dowling was always going to be a formidable opponent, and that’s how it proved in 1983-84 as the Maroons added back-to-back series triumphs to their wins in the stand alone Origins in 1980 and ’81.

Down 2-0 in the 1984 series and having posted just one try in 160 minutes of football across the first two games, Steve Mortimer’s Blues knew the time had come to make a stand.

One of the most passionate men ever to pull on the blue jersey, Mortimer had scored a try on debut as NSW won the opening game of the 1982 series but then suffered losses in his four subsequent Origin matches, so to say he’d had a gutful of Queensland would be an understatement.

With Steve Morris, Chris Mortimer, Brian Johnston, Peter Wynn, Chris Walsh and Mick Potter all making their Origin debut, the Blues stormed The Cauldron and came away with a 22-12 win to lay the foundation for their drought-breaking series win in 1985.

A double to Johnston and a man of the match performance from Mortimer were the catalyst for the Blues’ victory, just their second success in eight games at Lang Park.

“Turvey [Mortimer] was the same sort of bloke as Arthur Beetson, only smaller! He was so passionate you did not want to let him down,” Blues legend Steve Roach said in ’40 Years of Origin’.

Game Three, 1997… QLD 18, NSW 12 at SFS

With the indomitable Tommy Raudonikis at the helm, the Blues won the opening two games in Brisbane and Melbourne to make it back-to-back series victories.

After being wiped 3-0 in 1996 and down 2-0 again, the Maroons were desperate to turn things around in enemy territory at the SFS.

In a tense and tight series made famous by Raudonikis’ ‘Cattledog’ cry to incite a brawl, the Maroons had gone down 8-6 in Game One and 15-14 in Game Two, so they knew they weren’t far off.

Five-eighth Ben Ikin got Queensland off to a flyer with a superb solo try in the fourth minute before a scrum erupted in the ninth minute and hookers Andrew Johns and Jamie Goddard squared off in a stoush that has taken its place alongside Lewis v Geyer in Origin folklore.

When order was restored it was the Maroons who settled better, scoring in the 13th minute through Julian O’Neill to lead 12-0.

A deft chip kick by skipper Adrian Lam set up a try for Mark Coyne straight after half-time and the Maroons were well on their way to a morale boosting win.

Game Three, 2000… NSW 56, QLD 16 at Stadium Australia

Talk about putting an exclamation mark on a series victory!

The Wayne Pearce-coached Blues snuck home 20-16 in Game One and wrapped up the series with a 28-10 win at Suncorp Stadium in Game Two.

On June 7, 2020 in front of a vociferous home crowd of 58,767 at Stadium Australia, the Blues ran in nine tries in a 56-16 cakewalk as centre Ryan Girdler rewrote the record books.

It took the Blues 15 minutes to open the scoring through a trademark Girder intercept before Brad Fittler put Adam Muir over to make it 12-0.

Queensland hit back through Mat Rogers in the 23rd minute, Girdler grabbed a second soon after and Darren Smith scored for the visitors and the game was in the balance at 20-10 at half-time.

Then the floodgates opened.

A superb team try finished off by Andrew Johns in the 44th minute, a third to Girdler and a four-pointer to Matt Gidley were followed by Bryan Fletcher’s try and infamous ‘hand grenade’ celebration that still grates with Queenslanders some 23 years later.

By the time the final siren sounded, Girdler had helped himself to an Origin record 32 points, while also setting new marks for most tries in a series (5), most points in a series (52) and most goals in a match (10).

Game Three, 2009… NSW 28, QLD 16 at Suncorp Stadium

After launching their dynasty in 2006 the Maroons were at the peak of their powers under Mal Meninga and Darren Lockyer in ’09.

When the teams arrived in Brisbane for Game Three, the Maroons faifthul were in the mood for a party, a clean sweep, more tries for Greg Inglis and more pain for the Blues.

Things went to plan early when a David Williams blunder handed Dallas Johnson try but NSW hit back through Ben Creagh in the 18th minute to make it 6-6.

A huge moment in the game in the 34th minute when a Slater mistake in the in-goal handed Williams a try and an eight-point try was awarded for Johnathan Thurston lashing out with his boot as he tried to clean up the loose ball.

With the Blues up 20-10 it was Billy Slater closing the gap with a freakish try from an Inglis kick before Creagh made it a double to give the Blues breathing space.

Tempers had threatened to spill over throughout the match and all hell broke loose when Maroons prop Steve Price was knocked out by Brett White and players flew in from everywhere to join the melee.

Blues forward Trent Waterhouse arrived a split second after White’s last punch hit Price and was sent off for being third man in, while Creagh and Sam Thaiday were sin binned soon after in a dramatic finish to a match thaw saw NSW restore some pride in the jersey.

Game Three, 2021… QLD 20, NSW 18 at Cbus Super Stadium

For the first time in Origin history, all three games were played in Queensland, but it was the Blues defying those odds to claim victory in Game One in Townsville and Game Two in Brisbane.

With their star-studded backline of James Tedesco, Brian To'o, Tom Trbojevic, Latrell Mitchell, Josh Addo-Carr, Jarome Luai and Nathan Cleary running hot, the Blues piled on 76 points to Queensland's six in the first two games.

Originally scheduled for ANZ Stadium, the third game was transferred to McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle due to the COVID situation in Sydney before being relocated again to the Gold Coast, where 26,307 fans lapped up the action.

The return of Kalyn Ponga after he missed the first two games through injury was a boost for the Maroons who had plenty of drama in the lead-up with Ronaldo Mulitalo's eligibility drama and Jai Arrow's exit just days before the game for a team hotel biosecurity bubble breach.    

After leading 8-6 at half-time, Queensland got the upper hand after the break thanks to two tries from man of the match Ben Hunt.

Mitchell had a chance to send the game to golden point in the 78th minute but his monster penalty attempt from 52 metres out fell just short and the home side hung on.